Annual Awards Reaffirm Rights Respecting School

This year’s Annual Clyst Vale Awards were presented at the end of year assembly on Friday, 13th July. The awards for 2017-18 are as follows

• Maddy Ross (Y12) was awarded the Citizenship Shield for many years  promoting Amnesty International and human rights, and especially for her campaign which reached the national press about the challenges facing women cricketers in Devon. This was a great example of “student voice”, as well as shining a spotlight on an equality issue.
• Jasmine Daniels (Y10) was awarded the Caring Cup. Jasmine is one of those rare students who will go the extra mile for everyone. She contributes so much to the college – entering every competition, volunteering, supporting friends, and Amnesty. Jasmine has also been a strong supporter of the Harry Patch Peace Garden, and gave a wonderful portrait of Sir Nicholas Winton to Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines when she last visited.
• William Blum (Y9) received the Spirit of Devon Award for the student who has made most academic progress from Year 6 SATs to Year 9. Clearly, the recipient of this award will typically be a conscientious, hard-working student with a focus on their education and a good balanced attitude.
• India Williams (Y9) was awarded the Ostler Award for outstanding personal achievement, which generally means at a national level.  She deserves the Ostler Award through being accepted after auditions for a third year running to the National Youth Music Theatre, having performed to public audiences in Bury St Edmunds, Kingston and this year in Yorkshire.
• The Tolman-May Award is for a student who has not only overcome challenges in their life, but is successful, remains positive when others of us might not be, and is often a role model to others. For reasons of confidentiality I am not able to publish the name of this year’s winner, who unquestionably meets the criteria, especially that of being positive, cheerful and an example to others.
• Josie Tapp (Y13) was awarded the “Pope’s Challice” award for Performing Arts student of the year. Josie has participated in nearly every show since Year 7, taking principal roles as Cinderella in Into the Woods and Frances in The Battle of Boat, as well as principal roles outside of Clyst Vale.  Making her especially deserving of this Award, Josie has a wonderfully supportive and humble nature, an excellent role model to younger students who she has helped to direct and rehearse, and a wonderful asset and ambassador for Clyst Vale.

For years, I have always enjoyed our Annual Awards as being slightly quirky, but they have always been very true to our ethos, and now clearly support the ethos of a Rights Respecting School. Thinking of, and helping others (Caring Cup), student voice (Citizenship Shield), academic progress (Spirit of Devon), freedom to express oneself (Performing Arts), overcoming challenge and helping others to do so (Tolman May), and personal achievement and fulfilment (Ostler Award). These are all incredibly important themes and values in RRS, so we are celebrating not just the achievements of six young people, but also recognising their contribution to making Clyst Vale a better place.

L to R: Will, Jasmine, Maddy, India